Tuesday Bolts – 4.14.09

Marc Stein’s power rankings with a pretty strong note: “Was this the one and only season in the Durant Era that the good folks of OKC had to stomach a ranking that was always in the 20s? The answer is YES unless the whole league is guilty of overhyping this situation.”

SLAM awards: “O.J. Mayo? Are you kidding me? Russell Westbrook? Word? Look. This rookie class has been exceptional. I see about eight future All-Stars. But there shouldn’t be a discussion, here. Rose came into the season facing the pressure and shouldering the burden of being the No. 1 pick, playing for his hometown Bulls. He was thrust into a starting role in the game’s most demanding position. To make matters more challenging, he was playing on a young squad without a leader and for a coach whom many of his teammates disliked. Through a season that included a coaching change and roster overhaul, he’s put up 16, 6 and 4 and helped the Bulls get into the postseason. Meanwhile, O.J. and Russ play for two of the worst teams in the League and O.J. has often played like the typical “numbers guy on a bad squad.” Rose better be a unanimous pick.”

Layup Drill has five players it wishes were in playoffs: “1. Kevin Durant: KD is the truth. The kid is making Portland wish they had went in a different direction a few seasons ago when bypassed Durant for Greg Oden. The Thunder have built the franchise around their lanky swingman, who averaged career highs in points, assists, and rebounds this year, and should have been selected as an All-Star. There’s always next year though.”

Darnell’s observations: “My question to coach Brooks and the players after the game was how much are we supposed to read into these blowout losses? That’s six losses in seven games this month. The defeats are by an average margin of 20 points.”

HoopsWorld: “LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden looked up in the stands during a time out with about two minutes left in the game and waved to a couple of friends. At that point, Portland was sitting comfy after building a 35 point lead against Oklahoma City and the Blazers had waved bye-bye to the Thunder long before that. Call it basking in the glory of a young team headed to the playoffs. Call it confidence. Call it an easy win after two tough contests against San Antonio and Los Angeles. Call it Portland establishing a fear factor for other teams coming into the Rose Garden.”

John Hollinger’s pick for Most Improved: “Two other players — Kevin Durant and Danny Granger — have had PER improvements in the same ballpark, so it has come down to two factors for Roy. First, he isn’t a second-year player, while Durant is, and I’m normally reluctant to put second-year guys in the discussion because so many of them make huge strides in Year 2. (In fact, Jeff Green was arguably more deserving than Durant.)”

NBA.com’s power rankings: “As terrific a talent as Kevin Durant is, this was still the second-worst offense in the league. Scott Brooks needs to get in the lab and figure out how to get more out of Durant’s supporting cast offensively, while still getting them to improve on the defensive end.”

Scott Brooks challenged Russell Westbrook for this offseason: “He’s going to have to really step up and have a great summer. He can’t rest on the year that he has had,” Brooks said. “I believe that at a young age you shouldn’t just work on one area, you should get better on all areas of the game… And Russell has the ability to improve a lot. He has a lot of athletic ability. He has a lot of talent. He works extremely hard. And the thing that I see is he understands and he knows that he needs to get better. As a point guard, you can’t rest. You can’t take time off. There are so many good point guards in this league. Guys are waiting to get after you and pass you up. And Russell has to have that mentality. He has to understand that there are guys out there that are going to want to test him in his second year, and he has to really get after it and challenge himself this summer.”

48 Minutes of Hell with a fantastic interview with D-League commisioner Dan Reed: “I think it’s fascinating that you say that some of your readers balk at the fact that our league has so much talent, because what you’re saying is true. 60% of our players last season were All-Conference or better in college, which sure sounds a lot like your comment about an “All-Star league”. In each of the last 4 seasons, at least 25% of that year’s NBA draft class played in the NBA D-League. But regardless of how many stats I can rattle off that demonstrate how great our basketball is and how many top NBA prospects are playing in our league, for whatever reason people think about the idea of “minor league basketball” differently than they think about, say, college basketball or even minor league baseball — although I think we’re starting to change that perception.”

So you’re saying you wouldn’t take Byron Scott if available?You have to give Byron Scott some credit for the development of Chris Paul…I mean…He only helped develop two of the best guards the league has ever seen…(Paul & Kidd)…He also made Janero Pargo, Bobby Jackson & Speedy Claxton look like killer packup #1’s…He also specialized in teaching perimeter shooting during his tenure with the Kings and helped lead them to an excellent three-point shooting percentage during a pair of playoff seasons.

No offense,but Jason Kidd was already an established star with four all star games and three seasons leading the league in assists before he ever played for Byron Scott.

Bobby Jackson had his best seasons, including a sixth man of the year award in Sacramento, way before playing for Scott. In fact his numbers declined under Scott considerably from his best years in Sacto.

But I agree Byron Scott is a surprisingly good coach. When he took the Nets to the finals I thought he was just right place right time, when he did it again I was like "whoa". When he turned around NOH, I was impressed yet again.

Eddie Jordan is an excellent coach that is out of work. I hear Sacto wants to hire him as he was a former assistant there under Adelman. Paul Silas is still available. You all down in OKC probably have seen a lot more of Avery Johnson than I have. Kev was mentioning he was EXTREMELY strict. Picking bad coaches, or the wrong coach really sets a franchise back.

The guy who maybe should be at the top of the list is Tom Thibodeau. The lead assistant in Boston. The man who created the defense there. He is available, and Presti loves defense. He was an assistant all those years in NY with Van Gundy, and again in Houston with VG. According to NBA.com, while with the Knicks in the '01 season I believe, they held an NBA record 33 straight games without allowing 100 points. He's been around the league and won the big game and been in the playoffs repeatedly. He'd be my top choice.

We'll be in even better graces when we land that #1 pick (for giving Chandler back to save the Hornets which somehow in turn saves New Orleans which saves America as a nation which prevents WWIII all thanks to OKC and the Thunder).

I believe the Government is trying to take as many tax dollars from us as they can...but I kinda doubt the league is going to care if we hire the best available coach...

and besides, if you do believe in NBA conspiraces...then you would view us on the winning end of them...which would land Scott and a very healthy Chandler right in our city...Shoot, maybe even Chris Paul in the future...we're in good graces right now...

@NixI understand his track record and background and believe he is a good coach, but all I'm saying is that I can't see the NBA League Office allowing Oklahoma City to benefit from New Orleans any more than it already has. I'm being a conspiracy theorist and saying that we were told to rescind that Chandler trade so the Hornets wouldn't be sunk due to their financial crisis, figuratively speaking. I can see the same with Byron Scott and OKC. If they were to fire Byron Scott and say he were to become the newest Thunder coach and prosper and make the team relevant in late April-June, can you imagine how that would look for NOLA? I'd love it, but I just don't think the League would allow it (again, me being a NBA conspiracy theorist) due to what I've seen already.

You have to give Byron Scott some credit for the development of Chris Paul...I mean...He only helped develop two of the best guards the league has ever seen...(Paul & Kidd)...He also made Janero Pargo, Bobby Jackson & Speedy Claxton look like killer packup #1's...

He also specialized in teaching perimeter shooting during his tenure with the Kings and helped lead them to an excellent three-point shooting percentage during a pair of playoff seasons.

I don't think Oklahoma City will ever benefit from anything New Orleans does (Chandler trade, Byron Scott getting fired, etc.) while the economy is in the shape that is. Of course that is apart from the #1 pick we'll get this year because of our Chandler trade being rescinded per NBA League's request (see: 1985 NBA Draft Lottery). I can see other teams taking advantage of this but for the time being, not OKC.

Once - just once - I want to see the veins bulging on Scott Brooks' forehead or see him bench someone for lack of effort. I think they ought to sign him, but I wouldn't do anything I would regret having to pay off after next year.

Agree wholeheartedly re: the Hornets. They tried to build too quickly (and it almost worked last year, they had a decent shot at the WC Finals) and now they must really regret signing Peja and Tyson Chandler to such huge deals. My perspective is that you already have the best PG in the league--surround him with solid players and he'll turn them into borderline all-stars.

In a couple years, I absolutely think the Thunder will have surpassed the Hornets in the Western Conference standings. But I'll admit, when I was at the Thunder-Bucks game at the beginning of the year, I was thinking, "Really? We lost CP3 and David West for THIS?" I feel much better now.

@NixAbsolutely, 1000 percent. I missed the Hornets and Chris Paul for a while at the beginning. But I am so thankful we have this team. I love the ownership, I love the players and I love our future. Trust me, we are fortunate to have this group over the Hornets. Sure it would be nice to be in the playoffs this year, but come five years, we'll be much happier.

The tanking doesn't help his chances either. You hear the players endorse the coach, but you don't see them trying to win either. Maybe Presti understands the mixed messages are a result of young guys with nothing to play for, but maybe he thinks the coach he wants would motivate the guys to play hard anyway.

KingGondo :I’m starting to worry about the fact that Presti (or Bennett) hasn’t removed the “interim” tag from Scotty Brooks. It seems possible that they’re going to look in another direction in the offseason, if you ask me. That might be the least painful way to do it–thank Scott for improving the team during this first season, and you don’t have to “fire” him for the way we’ve performed down the stretch, either.I’d be worried about the players’ reactions, though. That is, unless we’re able to bring in Avery Johnson or another comparable talent.

I’m actually starting to worry about it. If the tags not taken off either tomorrow or Thursday, I fear Scotty didn’t get Presti’s approval. They’ve got plenty of info and everything they need to know. Presti’s got to have his mind made up one way or the other right now.

Now THAT'S interesting. I love Coach Scotty, but Byron Scott has a special place in my heart. I can't see NOLA doing that because he's super-popular there, but still, that's an interesting theory.

KingGondo :I’m starting to worry about the fact that Presti (or Bennett) hasn’t removed the “interim” tag from Scotty Brooks. It seems possible that they’re going to look in another direction in the offseason, if you ask me. That might be the least painful way to do it–thank Scott for improving the team during this first season, and you don’t have to “fire” him for the way we’ve performed down the stretch, either.I’d be worried about the players’ reactions, though. That is, unless we’re able to bring in Avery Johnson or another comparable talent.

I'm actually starting to worry about it. If the tags not taken off either tomorrow or Thursday, I fear Scotty didn't get Presti's approval. They've got plenty of info and everything they need to know. Presti's got to have his mind made up one way or the other right now.

@KingGondoI have heard rumors that since New Orleans is going through all that economy stuff they're going to cut Byron Scott...It could be possible Presti/Bennett are waiting to see what happens there...

But at the same time they did say they would wait till the end of the season to evaluate...

I really doubt it would hinder team chemistry if they didn't hire him...KD & Green have been through a coaching change and a franchise move...I'm pretty sure they'll be able to 'help' the rookies through such a 'devastation'...

I've caught a couple D League games, Austin Toros. It is good basketball. Better quality than college but less exciting. About as exciting as average regular season NBA games, but lower quality. There are a couple guys in each game that clearly stand out as better than everybody else, usually people I recognize from following college basketball, and then a bunch of guys who are world class at one thing (shooting, speed, leaping ability, etc.) and mediocre at best at everything else.

I've never had a bad time, though. I highly recommend the D League if you get a chance.

I'm starting to worry about the fact that Presti (or Bennett) hasn't removed the "interim" tag from Scotty Brooks. It seems possible that they're going to look in another direction in the offseason, if you ask me. That might be the least painful way to do it--thank Scott for improving the team during this first season, and you don't have to "fire" him for the way we've performed down the stretch, either.

I'd be worried about the players' reactions, though. That is, unless we're able to bring in Avery Johnson or another comparable talent.